Had the throngs of patrons who followed Tiger Woods throughout this year’s Masters looked carefully, they would have realized much of Team Tiger was in their midst.
There was swing coach Hank Haney, as well as his agent, Mark Steinberg. Greg Nared, a close friend and Nike business manager, was there. And if you were particularly sharp, you could even see Tiger’s mom, Kultida, darting about.
However, Earl Woods, a man whose tearful bearhug with his son after his first Masters win in 1997 seemed as much a part of the story as Tiger’s record-setting play, was not there. Wednesday, Earl Woods lost his eight-year battle with cancer, dying at his home in California at age 74.
“The thing I remember most is the way they embraced after Tiger won his first Masters,” David Toms said Wednesday. “You could see how big it was for his dad, too. It was like, ‘Our plan has come together.”‘
That plan started when a 2-year-old Woods took a swing in front of Bob Hope on “The Mike Douglas Show.” While climbing to the top of the golf world, winning three consecutive U.S. Amateur championships, as well as 10 major professional championships, Tiger Woods worked with a number of noted instructors, including Haney and Butch Harmon. However, Tiger gave most of the credit for his success to “Pops.”
“My dad was my best friend and greatest role model, and I will miss him deeply,” Tiger Woods said on his website. “I’m overwhelmed when I think of all of the great things he accomplished in his life. He was an amazing dad, coach, mentor, soldier, husband and friend. I wouldn’t be where I am today without him, and I’m honored to continue his legacy of sharing and caring.”
A former Green Beret who gave his son Eldrick the nickname Tiger to honor a war buddy he served with in Vietnam, Earl Woods never shied away from expressing the impact he felt his son would have, not only on golf, but the world in general.
“I knew Tiger was special the day he was born,” Earl Woods said in a May 2000 interview with The Associated Press. In a 1996 interview with Sports Illustrated, Earl Woods said his son “will do more than any other man in history to change the course of humanity. He’s the bridge between the East and the West. There is no limit because he has the guidance.
“I don’t know yet exactly what form this will take. But he is the chosen one. He’ll have the power to impact nations. Not people. Nations. The world is just getting a taste of his power.”
Woods has made an impact off the course, largely through his Tiger Woods Foundation. Last week, Woods hosted Tiger Jam 9, a yearly charitable fundraiser in Las Vegas. In February he opened the Tiger Woods Learning Center, a $25 million facility in Anaheim, Calif.
The last tournament Earl Woods attended was the 2004 Target World Challenge, an offseason event co-sponsored by his son. After he rallied in the final round to win the event, Tiger donated his $1.25 million first-place check to his foundation.
Earl Woods was born March 5, 1932, in Manhattan, Kan., the youngest of six children. His parents had died by the time he was 13. Later, he became the first black player to play baseball in the Big Eight Conference when he attended Kansas State.
In 2005, Woods won his fourth Masters, tearing up after he was awarded the green jacket because it was the first time his father was unable to attend the event. This year, Tiger left Florida two days before the start of The Players Championship to return to California when Earl took a turn for the worse.
“He said, ‘What the hell are you doing here?”‘ Woods recalled after returning to Jacksonville. “It was nice to hear that.”
Before this year’s Masters, Woods said, “I’m very proud of my dad, very proud of my dad. He’s a tremendous fighter, got an unbelievable will and, you know, hopefully he’s passed a little bit of that on to me.
“I think that’s kind of how I play, I guess that’s how it comes across, as a will. I got a lot of that from my dad.”
Tee off with Phil
Entries closed last week for the 2006 U.S. Open, to be played June 15-18 at Winged Foot in New York. The USGA received 8,584 applications from golfers with handicaps of 1.4 or better, the third most in history. The youngest golfer to enter was 13-year-old Ryan Simpson of Mechanicsville, N.Y. The oldest was 75-year-old Ordean Olson, a professional from Hollywood, Fla. Overall, the USGA received entries from golfers in all 50 states and 62 foreign countries. Masters champion Phil Mickelson and 69 other professionals are currently exempt from qualifying for the 156-player field. Qualifying begins locally Wednesday at 110 sites. Sectional qualifying will be held May 29-June 6 at 14 locations, including June 5 at Columbine Country Club.
Paired up
All three winners from last week – Chris Couch (PGA Tour), Jay Haas (Champions Tour) and Ken Duke (Nationwide Tour) – are entered in this week’s Wachovia Championship.
Anthony Cotton can be reached at 303-820-1292 or acotton@denverpost.com.
SPOTLIGHT: ARRON OBERHOLSER
His time has arrived
Arron Oberholser’s first foray into the PGA Tour spotlight may have been three years ago, when he took the first-round lead at the Buick Invitational and matter-of-factly told the media it was no big deal getting the better of Tiger Woods. In fact, there was a time when the San Jose State grad did beat Woods, but that was when Tiger was at Stanford. Eventually, Woods won the Buick and Oberholser finished tied for fourth. It took until earlier this year for Oberholser to garner his first victory, at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Still confident in his abilities, Oberholser is teeing it up this week at the Wachovia Championship, where he’s had some mixed results the past two years. In 2004 he lost to Joey Sindelar in a playoff; last year he withdrew after an opening-round 74.
Nicklaus relates to Tiger’s heartache
“… I also have admired and related to the close bond that he and his father have shared over Tiger’s lifetime. My father was my best friend, my mentor and perhaps my greatest support system. Earl was all of that to Tiger. Having lost my father at the age of 30, I know what a tremendous void it was in my life. Tiger has shown amazing resolve and focus while dealing with his father’s illness, and I know he is going through an enormously difficult time.”
Jack Nicklaus on the death Wednesday of Earl Woods
THIS WEEK IN GOLF
PGA Tour
Wachovia Championship, Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte N.C.
What’s up: Defending champion Vijay Singh won four tournaments last year, but he’s winless in his past 18 starts, 10 this season. That’s his longest victory drought since 2000.
LPGA Tour
Franklin American Mortgage Championship, Vanderbilt Legends Club, Franklin, Tenn.
What’s up: Stacy Prammanasudh is the defending champion; this tournament has yielded her best finish of the season each year since 2003.
Champions Tour
Regions Charity Classic, Robert Trent Jones Trail at Ross Bridge, Birmingham, Ala.
What’s up: This is the year of the repeat winner on the Champions Tour; Loren Roberts won the first three events of the season, Jay Haas the last two.
I’ll use driver, 7-iron
The 250-yard par-3 sixth hole at Quail Hollow, site of the Wachovia Championship, was the second-longest par-3 on tour last year and played to an average of 3.329. However, it was only the fifth-toughest par-3 on tour last season. Here’s a look at the top five and how they played.
Tournament Hole Yards Avg. score
MCI Heritage 14th 192 *3.496
Wachovia Championship 17th 217 3.417
FedEx St. Jude Classic 14th 239 3.390
U.S. Open 15th 203 3.361
Wachovia Championship Sixth 250 3.329
* – The 14th at Harbour Town was the second-toughest hole overall on tour last year, with almost 50 percent of the field playing it over par. The toughest hole was the 17th at St. Andrews, site of the British Open. The 455-yard, par-4 “Road Hole” averaged 4.626, with 63 percent of the field playing it over par.
